


Trail Mix

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 20:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6581722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two speeches, a press briefing, the Governor taking questions, and Sam and Josh getting into a heated battle over a Kit-Kat.  It had been a very long afternoon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trail Mix

"Where the hell are we again?" Josh asked, stumbling off the bus.

He missed a step, stumbled, and nearly fell to the ground. Toby broke his fall and neither man was very happy. Josh was sober too; he had just got up from a nap.

"Leverington, Florida." CJ replied. "We are 50 miles or so NE of Miami. The Governor is speaking here today. Where is Sam?"

"Shit." Josh muttered. "I left him asleep on the bus."

He stumbled back onto the bus. CJ lit a cigarette and leaned on the bus. If Josh was gone one second too long, she was listening for sex noises. Toby leaned beside her.

"Why did we not bring Donna along this time?" he asked. "Donna keeps him in check."

"Her dad was in the hospital. She went home for a few days. It is hot as hell out here."

"Yeah. Who wants to retire to hell?" Toby asked.

"Where will you go Tobus?"

"An apartment in Brooklyn...it is as good a place as any. I thought you stopped poisoning yourself months ago. Better not let the Governor see you."

"It is one cigarette, the Governor has two a day, and I bummed it from Leo. He’s a bad influence on me I think."

Toby looked at her without moving his head. Was he really? How much time was CJ spending with Leo? Leo came walking over.

"OK, two senior communities and an AARP dinner tonight. We are not staying overnight...we are going straight to Miami. That is going to be an overnight trip. CJ, you want to brief at 12:30 but I don’t think any other briefings will be necessary."

"They’re going to lurk." CJ replied.

"Of course they are." Leo said. "The Governor may want to take questions after the speech." Leo looked at Toby. "Are they done Toby?"

"I’m tweaking. Excuse me."

He walked away, knowing he would have a better view across the parking lot. Leo took the cigarette from CJ’s mouth, took a puff, and put it back.

"The Governor bitches at you when you smoke." She said.

"We bitch at each other. How is the bus?"

"Great. Sex, intrigue, and poker. Plus the occasional game of Scrabble."

"Sex? Is there something you want to tell me Claudia Jean?"

"Nope."

Sam and Josh came off the bus. Sam stumbled but Josh seemed fine. CJ smiled at them.

"Awake now darlings?" she asked.

"One of us is." Sam mumbled.

She pointed to where Toby was standing and the two men walked away. Sam’s hair was everywhere. CJ laughed, crushing the cigarette under her sneaker.

"OK, let’s get this over with." She said.

"I got a room." Leo said. It took all he had not to touch her hip.

"Why?"

"For people to shower and get themselves together. There will be a lapse of time when you guys can actually relax."

"Hallelujah! When?"

‘Three to six...the dinner is at seven. If it’s possible..."

"I know. I’ll be around." CJ replied.

She walked over to the boys. They were discussing the calendar.

"We are going to have some time off today." She said. "Three hours. Oh, and Leo got a room if anyone wants to shower and change in the proper setting."

"I am fine with the bus." Toby said.

"Good. I will take the room. What’s wrong Toby?" she asked.

"Anyone else desperate for coffee?" he asked in his noncommittal tone.

They all nodded and groaned. It was ten thirty in the morning; they had two hours until the speech.

"OK, let’s split up." Josh said.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"I don’t know; I always wanted to say let’s split up."

CJ laughed and Toby rolled his eyes.

"CJ, go and get your bag, we’ll get coffee and meet you in the lobby."

"You are a natural born leader Tobus." She replied.

"Don’t call me that in public." He grumbled.

CJ pinched his cheek, walking back to the bus.

***

She sang Fiona Apple in the shower. It played on the little shower radio...CJ was surprised to find a modern rock station in a town populated almost entirely of senior citizens. CJ sang along and though she knew he was coming, she naturally jumped when he opened the door.

"Did I scare you?" Leo stood naked in front of her.

"No. Close the door...it’s drafty."

Leo stepped in, taking CJ into his arms.

"You're lucky it was me." She said. "I almost let Josh shower first."

"That would have been embarrassing. I only have 15 or 20 minutes before my absence is questioned."

"Is that all you have in you sailor?" she asked laughing.

Leo spun her around; CJ threw her hands up on the shower wall for support. He pushed her legs apart with his knee and got right down to business.

"Oh God, harder Leo!"

He was not sure if he could go any harder. CJ pushed herself against him; Leo grabbed her waist as she came with a shout and a shudder. He was a few minutes behind, groaning. He placed kisses up and down her spine; CJ breathed contented sighs. Leo pulled out and turned her around.

"You know I hate to hit and run, but..."

"Go, I know there is a lot on your plate today."

She kissed his lips and he got out of the shower. CJ needed another wash down and a cup of coffee.

***

CJ found her spin boys sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant, eating various breakfasts. She was whistling and requested a cup of coffee when the server came back to the table.

"You're positively giddy." Sam said.

CJ smiled.

"You have no idea what 15 or 20 minutes in the shower can do for you." She replied. "I am like a new woman."

"Damn." Josh said. "I got next, seriously."

Toby said nothing; he just ate his hash browns.

"Share Toby." CJ said.

"I’m starving, get your own. Josh take a shower...we don’t have all day."

Josh pushed his left over bacon and hash browns to CJ before leaving the table. She grinned, digging in.

"Where are the Governor and Leo?" she asked, adding a ridiculous amount of sugar to the coffee in front of her.

"Talking to some people." Sam said. "They want to do Nightline in Miami. Dobson is talking about abortion and birth control."

"Oh lord." CJ rolled her eyes. "I do not want the Governor on TV talking about this. He is going to think about Zoey and go off on some tangent. Toby...what, why are you looking at me like that?"

"I’m not. What do you need me to do?"

"See if we can get an advanced copy of the Nightline questions. Ted Koppel has been nothing but good to us."

"I’ll see what I can do." Toby replied. "Nightline may not want to talk about that at all. The new polling numbers are out and we are trailing. Not by much, but we’re trailing."

"We will know if we have our hands on the questions."

Sam excused himself; said Josh would be out of the shower by now. CJ looked at Toby again.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I am not satisfied with tonight’s speech, and I don’t have time to work on it."

"We have a break coming this afternoon." CJ said. "A very well deserved break."

"The Governor doesn’t like last minute changes, you know that. The speech is OK I guess."

"It doesn’t have the Ziegler flourish." She said.

"Yeah. So, the shower worked?"

"Wonders Tobus. I’m telling you I am a new woman."

***

Two speeches, a press briefing, the Governor taking questions, and Sam and Josh getting into a heated battle over a Kit-Kat bar. It had been a very long afternoon. Toby was still sulking about the speech, and he’d yet to get her the Nightline questions. So CJ floated in the deserted hotel pool to calm her frazzled nerves. No one was around; the place was small anyway. It was an indoor pool and even with the roof deck open it was a full ten degrees warmer in there than outside.

CJ kicked her legs a bit, enjoying the feel of the water caressing her body. Maybe if she got a chance she could hit a spa in Miami. This was certainly the kind of job where days off were not an option. The price of being on a winning team meant no hair appointments, no privacy, and having to watch everything you said and did. The list of reasons to throw your hands up in the air and scream were endless.

Then there were the victories. There were the late nights strategizing over poker and beer. There was Josh, Sam, and her beloved Toby. There was the adrenaline in her veins when she talked to the press; though CJ felt the press themselves might be a con and not a pro. There was Leo Thomas McGarry. Leo, with the hazel eyes and the gruff exterior. He was quite a specimen. He made her laugh, he made her moan, and he even made her cry once.

"Hey."

CJ opened her eyes; the specimen was right in front of her.

"I am timing myself and I still have twenty minutes." She said.

"Toby is pacing." Leo said.

"He is not fully satisfied with the speech."

"He is pissing off the Governor."

CJ sighed, swimming to the edge.

"I am not Toby’s mother. The Governor never has a problem telling me I screwed up. Why can't he just tell Toby to shut up?"

"Just talk to him. This is a simple stop and I don’t need it turning into a bad episode of Edge of Night."

"Edge of Night...whoa way to show your age Leo."

CJ climbed up the ladder. Leo reached out his hand to her. She grabbed him, gave a good yank, and watched him sail into the pool.

"CJ!" he exclaimed before he splashed into 5 ½ feet of water. He bobbed to the surface.

"How could you?" he asked.

"I needed a laugh." She replied.

"You evil little bitch." Leo waved his hand and the water hit CJ.

"Ooh." She splashed him back and the party began.

Splashing back and forth until Leo captured her in his arms.

"I want you out of this bikini." He whispered.

"This is a family establishment Mr. McGarry. I am shocked at you. Anyway, I’ve started to think that you only want me for my fantastic body."

Leo took possession of her breasts.

"Uh uh. You are smart, beautiful, and a whirlwind. Let’s not take anything away from that body though."

CJ escaped his grasp and he chased her.

"If you catch me you can have whatever you want." She called behind her.

Leo started swimming toward her. They both stopped cold when they heard Sam’s voice.

"Excuse me Leo?"

CJ looked at Sam’s bewildered face and couldn’t help but laugh. Leo climbed out of the pool.

"CJ thought it would be funny to drench my $1500 suit." Leo said, pushing his hair back and shaking himself off like a puppy.

"It’s my California sense of humor." CJ replied.

"Josh needs you." Sam said to Leo. He stopped to look at CJ...she was retying her bikini top.

"What is it Sam?" Leo asked.

"What? Oh, Dobson is talking. Josh and Toby need to see you."

Leo nodded, telling CJ to get out of the pool before following Sam.

***

They climbed onto the bus at 9:30. Everyone was tired; they flopped on various couches. Josh opened the fridge, pulling out beer for everyone. CJ closed her eyes and lit a cigarette. The guys groaned.

"Shut up." She said.

Toby lit a cigar. He sat on the couch looking at her. When she looked up he looked away.

"I think the night was successful." She said.

"The speech was..." Sam stopped talking when Toby looked at him. "Yeah. The night was successful."

CJ took a healthy sip of beer.

"Hey CJ, I heard you gave Leo a good dunking this afternoon." Josh said laughing.

Toby just looked at her but said nothing.

"I just pulled him into the pool. It was just for fun. Leo thought it was funny."

"So do I, believe me." Josh replied.

Sam closed his eyes, leaning his head on the window. The trip to Miami would only take about 45 minutes. Then there would be beds, showers, and other amenities humans deserved.

"I am taking a catnap too." Josh said, going through the curtain to his bunk.

"Call Donna when we get to Miami." CJ said.

"Yeah. She is meeting us in Atlanta...I already booked her flight."

Soon Toby and CJ were alone. Alone, except for the occasional mutter from Sam.

"What’s wrong Toby?" she asked.

She sat down beside him on the couch.

"I need a little time off. I need to stop seeing you guys everyday. Just a break."

"Did you and Josh fight?"

Toby shook his head. CJ knew that Toby wouldn’t talk until he was ready. She took hold of his hand and he let her.

"I think you should quit smoking." He said. "Myrna Loy was the last woman who looked sexy doing it."

"Myrna Loy didn’t smoke." CJ replied.

"See, she didn’t even look sexy doing it."

The bus stopped; both CJ and Toby looked up.

"Accident." The driver said. "We could be here a while. None of the lanes are moving."

"I knew being there in less than an hour was too good to be true." Toby grumbled.

"It gives us time to talk. It’s been awhile since..." The cell phone ringing on her hip cut her off. "Hey."

"There is an accident on I-95." Leo said.

"I know, looks like we’re stuck in it. Where are you?"

"We are going to take the back roads to Miami. It will lengthen the trip by about a half hour or so but the Governor is unbearable in gridlock."

"You are no picnic either." CJ replied.

Leo laughed.

"Are you alone CJ; can you talk?"

"Toby is right here...I’ll be sure to let him know."

"Damn." Leo muttered.

"We will pick it up later. We have to talk about Nightline. Thanks Leo."

"Yeah. Bye."

CJ hung up.

"Leo and the Governor are going to take back roads so not to get caught in any gridlock."

Toby nodded.

"What are you supposed to let me know?" he asked.

"Just what I told you."

Toby tried to smile. He really didn’t know why he was so upset...CJ could do whatever she wanted. It was not as if he could prove anything was happening with her and Leo. CJ was a flirty woman, though not in a malicious way. Every time she opened her mouth, something sexy or cheeky came out. That was just how it was. If it drove him insane why should other men be different? Still, Leo was married. CJ had been there, done that, and Toby did not want to see her hurt again.

"Do you want to get plastered tonight?" he asked.

"No, I want to get some sleep tonight. We will drink tomorrow after the dinner."

"Let’s drink at the dinner." Toby said.

She nodded, squeezing his hand.

"What is with you pulling Leo into the pool?"

CJ laughed.

"It was hilarious. He gave me his hand to help me out and I just yanked. You should've been there."

"You tease him mercilessly sometimes." Toby said.

"Yeah. He is such an interesting specimen. Is that what is bothering you Tobus?"

"Hmm?"

"Am I too friendly with Leo? I mean, do you think I'm too friendly?"

"Do you care what I think?" Toby asked.

"Yeah, about a lot of things I do. I like Leo, Toby."

"I know. I should've been there...it was probably classic."

"Yeah. If I do say so myself."

CJ leaned and kissed his temple. Toby looked at her.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"Oh shut up, I can kiss you whenever I want. That is what best friends are for."

She kissed him again and this time Toby smiled. He rubbed her arm.

"Hey." Josh stood in the doorway. "Why aren’t we moving?"

"Accident." CJ and Toby said in unison.

"We were enjoying the quiet." Toby said.

"Yeah, don’t wake Sam."

As if on cue, Sam muttered something about candlesticks and cold cream. CJ stifled a laugh.

"So, I'm gonna, you know, since we’re stuck and all."

CJ and Toby nodded as Josh disappeared behind the curtain.

***

It was after 12:30 and CJ sat on the bed in her hotel room. She was reading over the Atlanta itinerary, the Nightline questions, and some of the newspapers. No one in the South liked Bartlet; putting Hoynes on the ticket only helped a bit. He would probably carry the South because of John Hoynes. Somebody might take a potshot at him to get their good old boy into the Oval Office. CJ shuddered just thinking of John. She sipped her beer, purging the future Vice-President from her thoughts.

There was a light knock on the door and CJ smiled. She carefully climbed over all the papers on her bed. She looked through the peephole; just because it was supposed to be Leo didn’t mean that it was. Leo smiled when she opened the door.

"Are you busy?" he asked.

"I'm just going over some things for the next few days. Donna is meeting us in Atlanta."

"How did you know that I was about to use Josh and babysitter in the same sentence?"

"Wild guess. There is Coke in the fridge if you want."

"I never drink soda after midnight." Leo replied. "I barely sleep as is. I left them in the bar, so don’t be surprised if someone, or a few some ones bang on your door after closing time."

"Doubtful. I told Toby that I wanted to sleep tonight...he will keep them in line. Sorry about the pool thing earlier."

"No, you're not." Leo replied. "I am sorry that Sam interrupted us."

CJ smiled, but there was something weighing on her.

"Speak your mind Claudia Jean." Leo took a bottle of water and sat at the table.

"Toby knows about us. If he doesn’t, he suspects."

"Did he say something to you?"

CJ shook her head.

"I have known him over a decade...he didn’t have to."

"Well, he is your best friend. If he knows then that is fine with me. I don’t expect him to talk to the press."

"Does your best friend know?" CJ asked.

Leo looked at her and sighed.

"I'm sorry." She said.

He waved away the apology.

"You're still married Leo."

That was what was really on her mind.

"Yeah, technically." He said.

"Technically is all that matters."

"I am legally separated; Jenny is seeing another man. We intend to divorce after the election. She has been a party wife for a long time. She doesn’t want to do anything to overshadow the Governor or hurt his chances in November. She wouldn’t do that because I was a lousy husband."

"Don’t say that." CJ said.

"I was. I drank, and I worked too much, and..."

"We don’t have to talk about any of that right now. I don’t care about any of that."

"You don’t care that I am a recovering alcoholic workaholic who hardly remembers his daughter’s childhood?"

CJ shook her head. What bothered her was that he thought that was all of him. Leo McGarry was so much more, and that was what she was falling in love with.

"I don’t deserve it." He said.

"Probably not, but you have it. I feel how I feel and that is the end of it."

She sat on the bed again, began to put papers and files into her briefcase. Leo watched her as she busied herself. He kept asking himself what she saw in him. It was obvious that CJ Cregg could have any man she wanted. Danny Concannon from the Post followed her all over America; at some point and maybe today Toby Ziegler was madly in love with her; and Josh Lyman said he wanted to marry her on more than one occasion. Though he seemed to fear her too, even Sam seemed captivated by her. Yet she only wanted Leo, and told him so when she held him while he slept.

"My mother said it is impolite to stare." CJ said, breaking him out of his trance.

"Mine said the same thing. I agree, unless it is worth staring at."

"Don’t flatter me Leo. I look and feel like hell."

"Never." He replied.

He got up, walked to the bed, and sat on the edge.

"My main concern is the future." She said, as if their past conversation never ended. "I can't be your secret lover forever; I won't be."

"I know. We can't address that right now. I know it is upsetting."

"Upsetting is not the right word." She sighed. "Let’s not talk about it anymore tonight."

"OK baby." He caressed her face.

CJ smiled.

"Will you just hold me tonight?" she asked.

Leo told her that she never had to ask. They undressed each other, CJ taking the extra time to nibble on his neck. That was one of her favorite things. Leo turned the lights out, pulling her body close to his. She snaked herself around him like a boa constrictor...was she aware how much that turned him on? They did not speak for a while and when CJ finally did she was not sure if Leo was still awake.

"Sometimes I think I am giving up too much." She said.

Leo cleared his throat; shifted his body weight.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean every time I talk to my father he doesn’t want to talk about the campaign, he wants to know if I've met a decent man. I watch the women line up for Josh, Sam, and even Toby to use. I know they wouldn’t do it but that doesn’t stop the women. I feel that twinge when I see a couple holding hands or a woman leaning over a stroller to kiss her baby. I want the White House Leo, but I want everything else too."

"Yeah. You think that makes you weak?" he asked.

"No. It makes me human. I don’t want to fall in love with you."

"That was hurtful."

"You know I didn’t intend it to be. You're Leo McGarry, party man. You make it perfectly clear that the Democrats come first. You already had one wife walk out on you."

"Give me 25 years like Jenny did CJ and I might let you leave me."

She was quiet again, taking deep breaths. Her fingers made figure eights on Leo’s stomach as he stroked her back.

"We will hurt each other Claudia Jean, it’s inevitable. To hell with it, we always hurt the people we love the most. Then we make up for it. I am going to keep seeing you and when the time is right I am going to tell people."

"I am not very patient." She replied.

"I know, but you have to be or we have to stop."

She shook her head. She pulled Leo on top of her and he laughed.

"You see, Leo and stop should never be used in the same sentence where we are concerned." She said.

"I feel a but coming on."

"Nope."

"You said you wanted to be held tonight CJ."

"You did a really good job. Now its time to do a good job making love to me."

"Well, I certainly don’t want to disappoint you." He said.

"I don’t know if that will ever be a problem in this department. You are a very talented man Leo McGarry."

They made love; someone banging on the door broke her afterglow.

"Shit, shit, shit." She muttered, looking for clothes to cover herself.

"Told you." Leo sat up on his elbows. "Should I get dressed?"

"No. I am getting rid of them."

She went to the door, opening it a crack.

"Hi Josh, this is not your room."

"I know that. Just thought you would want to hang since we’re all still awake."

"I think you need some sleep mi amour. You woke me."

"Oh, sorry. Since you're awake though, come and hang with us."

CJ could not help but smile. She stopped when Leo came to the door.

"Josh, go to bed and sleep it off." He said. "We have a long day tomorrow."

"Whoa," Josh stumbled back. "I thought this was CJ’s room."

"It is. Leo, go back inside dammit!"

She stepped out into the hallway, not seeming to care that she only wore a tee shirt and panties.

"Josh..."

"He’s married CJ." Josh whispered.

"No, he is legally separated and getting a divorce. We are not having an affair."

"Its 2:30 in the morning and he is your hotel room. That is an affair. What are you doing?"

"I care about him, OK, and I am not fighting with you right now. The nature of the relationship is not up for debate."

"Are you OK?" Josh asked.

"Yeah. Look, I need to ask for your discretion..."

Josh held up his hand.

"Yeah right. I have to go to bed."

CJ kissed his cheek, going back to the room and closing the door.

‘That was so rude Leo."

"Josh needs a firm hand sometimes. For a guy who drinks all the time he is a lousy drunk."

"He thinks I'm a home wrecker." CJ said.

"Don’t say that about yourself."

"I wouldn’t have to if you would have stayed put. He was going back to his room."

"Just come back to bed baby...we’ll fight in the morning."

***

Josh was hung over in the morning. CJ found him at an outside café, eating muffins and drinking coffee.

"Can I join you?" she asked.

He waved to the seat.

"Toby and Sam are inside." He said. "They’re tweaking."

"Yeah. I am so sorry about last night Josh."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since the night your father died; the Illinois primary. Something started in South Carolina. I don’t know if it even means anything...you know how crazy the trail is. None of it matters in the real world."

"Its hard not to love him, isn’t it?" Josh asked.

"Yeah. I never wanted anyone to find out like this. Please forgive me."

"Is he really divorcing Jenny?"

"She’s divorcing him after the election. It has nothing to do with me...I hardly know her."

"I believe that. Leo is a workaholic; Jenny has been through a lot."

"I know."

"Do you?"

"You have every right to be upset, but I don’t want this to affect what we have. I don’t want to ruin what any of us have. You have to understand why we can't spread it around."

"I know CJ. I don’t want it to ruin us either. Whatever happens between you and Leo is none of my business unless you make it so. I won't be a problem for you. I think you should tell us though...at least so something like that will never happen again."

"You're pretty coherent this morning." She replied.

"Well, I was sort of jarred half sober last night. You looked hot in that tee shirt, by the way."

CJ smiled, that was her Joshua. She reached across the table to squeeze his hand.

"Thanks Josh. I’m gonna grab a quick bite."

"Come back out here to me, OK?"

"Yeah. I’ll be right back."

***


End file.
